The Spider Queen

(Planet Caorn- Jasimin Island)

(International Spaceport- Gate 013)

A scary looking woman.

That was the evaluation that most of the reporters made when Duke Peterlor's daughter stepped out from behind a pair of thick metalloid doors.

She was over seven feet tall with a lean muscular frame that was bursting with power. Her hybrid features were clearly visible, and she made no attempt to hide them.

Pointed ears, golden eyes, sharpened fangs and perhaps the most striking of all… four blade-like appendages with barbs attached to their ends.

She possessed a voluptuous figure and her face… there was no other way to describe her facial features other than perfection.

Sharp angular cheek bones, a cute slightly hooked nose and the placement of her eyes and lips were symmetrical.

The white uniform on her body highlighted the militaristic ideology of Zrudread University.

Warriors who believed that cultivation could only be advanced through battles.

It came as a small surprise to most nobles in society that a duke's daughter had not gone to Atlas University but seeing Sophie now… they understood.

She had an intimidating aura around her body and the cold glare in her eyes sent shivers down their spines.

She was dangerous.

That much was clear.

Sophie kept her face expressionless as she took slow, purposeful steps across the walkway that led to the other side of the spaceport.

Out of the corner of her eyes she could see a crowd of reporters pushed up against a barricade as well as thousands of cameras, recording devices and livestreaming tools.

Sophie was not particularly happy about being filmed but not a single trace of discomfort could be seen on her face.

There was an odd silence as she walked down the path and only the sounds of cameras clicking, and the dull hissing noise of the recording devices could be heard.

Finally, one reporter managed to summon up the courage in his heart and shouted out a question to the hybrid girl.

"Miss Peterlor! How do you feel about being chosen as the captain?!"

Just like that… the dam had broken, and the other reporters hurriedly yelled out their own questions.

"Who do you think is the strongest person in the tournament?"

"My name is Julie Robertson from Daylight News! Can you give us a comment on rumors about your parentage?"

"Trisha from Gossip Central! Are the allegations correct that you have an improper relationship with an Imperial Princess?"

"What is your fighting style like? Are you a swordsman like your father? Did he teach you any hidden techniques?"

The questions and comments all blended together to form a cacophony of noise that was a bit irritating to put it mildly.

It would be enough to overwhelm an ordinary student experiencing this for the first time, but Sophie held on to her nerves.

She raised her head high and just passed the reporters without stopping to answer any of their questions or give a response.

If she stopped for one, then more than likely she would have to stop for others as well and some questions were clearly better than others.

"Is it true that you consume raw meat?! Is that because of your hybrid nature?"

"Why should a hybrid represent a prestigious university? Is it because of diversity quotas?"

Sophie's golden eyes shifted in the direction of that question and saw a small man wearing a white shirt and black pants holding a piece of paper.

Her pupils diluted slightly and a trace of killing intent leaked out. The reporter began to violently tremble as a heavy pressure fell on his body.

He began to have trouble breathing properly as it felt as though he was staring directly at a beast.

An apex predator who would tear him apart in an instant.

Then just as quickly as that feeling came… it disappeared without a trace. Sophie turned her attention away from the man and continued walking as if nothing had happened.

Fortunately, she had managed to stop herself before she went any further. That man was clearly a bigot but if she attacked him then she would be playing into his narrative.

The sudden burst of pressure only lasted for a few seconds so other than the reporter who directly suffered… no one was any wiser.

"Wow! She's so pretty!" the livestreaming girl shouted as she focused her recording device on Sophie.

The comments filling up the stream started to get more positive as many fell in love with the hybrid girl's cool image.

[She looks like a badass!]

[More like a freak… have you seen her ugly ass appendages?]

[Don't be jealous… fuck… she's hot as hell!]

[I'm not surprised… she is the daughter of the youngest god stage cultivator…]

Of course, other comments went in stranger directions…

[Do you think she would step on me?]

[My queen! I think I'm now a fan!]

The livestream girl waved her hands furiously to try and get Sophie's attention, but the hybrid girl never glanced in her direction once.

She felt a little bit disappointed but that feeling quickly faded when she saw the number of viewers in her chatroom.

Ten thousand!

Wooo! A new record!

Meanwhile Sophie finally arrived at the other side of the spaceport where a long black hovercar was waiting with the doors open.

"Welcome young miss," a Mendolesa female with greyish fur stepped out of the car and gestured for Sophie to enter inside.

"Thank you," Sophie replied with a polite smile as she entered the car and sat down on the comfortable memory foam seat.

She could see lights flashing in the distance as the long-range cameras continued to follow her every move.

The hovercar's doors slowly closed the windows blocked out the light. Sophie leaned back against the chair and let out a heavy sigh.

She had done it.

It may have been a bit of a nerve-racking experience, but she had survived. The Mendolesa driver entered the front seat and the hovercar's engine rumbled to life.

Sophie checked her communicator while the car began its journey to the hotel where she would be staying.

The other representative captains would be arriving later today or sometime early tomorrow morning.

The captains of the four great universities would have to attend a private press conference before the tournament begun.

It was a tradition.

Sophie did not plan to go outside her hotel room so this conference would hopefully be her only encounter with the press before the tournament.

She still needed to practise her lines and prepare herself for any surprise questions during the conference since she wouldn't have the option to ignore the reporters.